Having trouble with email campaigns landing in spam or not reaching your readers at all? This guide walks through three reliable ways to improve email deliverability using MediaOS. From verifying DNS records to using a third-party email provider, these strategies can help ensure your messages make it to the inbox.
Why Email Deliverability Can Be a Challenge #
Email deliverability is impacted by a variety of technical and content-related factors. Internet Service Providers (ISPs) and mailbox providers like Gmail, Outlook, and Yahoo use domain reputation, authentication, and content analysis to determine whether your message reaches the inbox — or gets filtered into spam.
Note: Even if MediaOS sends a campaign successfully, mailbox providers ultimately decide whether to accept and display the message.
If you are struggling with email deliverability, MediaOS offers three key solutions to help improve your results. First, setting up SPF Records ensures that receiving servers recognize MediaOS as an authorized sender, which can significantly reduce the chances of your emails being flagged as spam. Second, verifying your DKIM Records provides an additional layer of authentication, helping email providers confirm that your messages are legitimate and have not been tampered with during delivery. Finally, integrating your MediaOS account with SendGrid allows your campaigns to send through SendGrid’s optimized infrastructure, giving you better control over deliverability and sender reputation management.
SPF Records #
SPF (Sender Policy Framework) helps verify that MediaOS is authorized to send emails on your behalf. Without this, your campaigns are more likely to be flagged as suspicious or rejected.
Tip: Adding an SPF record is often the first and easiest step to improving deliverability.
To get started, follow this article: Setting Up SPF Records
DKIM Records #
DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail) allows email recipients to verify that the email actually came from your domain and was not tampered with during transit. This adds credibility to your messages and dramatically improves inbox placement.
Note: DKIM is essential for authenticating your domain and is increasingly required by providers like Gmail and Outlook.
Integrate SendGrid #
SendGrid is a trusted email delivery platform used by thousands of companies to manage both transactional and marketing emails. If you’re running large campaigns or facing serious deliverability issues, integrating SendGrid can provide more control, analytics, and IP reputation management.
Tip: This is a great option if your domain reputation has been impacted or you’re sending a high volume of email.
Steps to Integrate SendGrid with MediaOS #
To integrate SendGrid with MediaOS, start by creating a SendGrid account at www.sendgrid.com. Once your account is active, locate your SendGrid API Key. If you need help finding it, you can refer to SendGrid’s support article for assistance. After you have your API Key, log in to MediaOS, click your Name in the bottom-left corner of the dashboard, and navigate to Integrations. Find the SendGrid integration on the list and click Configure. Paste your API Key into the provided field and click Save to complete the integration process.
Once your SendGrid account is connected, all of your MediaOS campaigns will send through SendGrid’s optimized infrastructure, helping improve deliverability and speed. You will also be able to validate your DKIM Records directly through SendGrid’s platform to ensure your domain is authenticated for email sending. To complete the DKIM setup, follow the instructions outlined in this guide.
Best Practices and Reminders #
To avoid further issues with email deliverability, it is important to take a proactive approach. Begin by segmenting your list and avoid sending mass campaigns to inactive users, as low engagement rates can negatively impact your sender reputation. Focus on delivering value-added content that strikes a balance between editorial insights and promotional messaging, ensuring that your emails provide meaningful information to your audience. Consistently monitor open and click rates to measure engagement and adjust your strategy as needed to maintain strong performance. Additionally, make it a regular practice to use the Email Blocker Check Tool in MediaOS to identify any suppressed or blocked addresses that could be affecting your overall deliverability.
Warning: If your team has sent out large promotional blasts to your full reader list — especially emails promoting products or services with little to no editorial content — your domain reputation may be damaged. ISPs penalize this behavior with reduced inbox placement or blocks.
